My life experiences tell the story.
My mother was an
extraordinary role model. She strived to give me the absolute best.
I recall how she had to kick down doors just to get me educated because of my disability. All
the trouble and tribulation that I experienced taught me the
importance of work ethic and perseverance—two things my mother
exemplified. She taught me
that everyone should be treated equally under the law and in the eyes
of God.
I will be forever
proud of my father for his service to our country. He served in the
military during World War II and Korea, and only left the military after I was born. He taught me about the importance of
serving your country, about the importance of education, about the importance of knowing history. He taught me that for a nation to know where it is going, it must understand where it has come from.
Having grown up poor, I understand the trials and
tribulations that ordinary Americans go through every day. From
paying bills to worrying about the mortgage to creating jobs, I hear
the echoes of those who need help. As a Social Security and
Disabilities attorney, I work every day to help the disadvantaged.
From the Social Security claimant who is denied benefits because they
aren't able to collect the evidence needed to prove disability, to
the disabled child who needs Special Education, and the employee
who is repeatedly harrassed at work, I see and hear the many cries
for help. I understand, because I've been there too.
These are some of
the many reasons I am inspired to stand up for those born without
privilege. This is why I want:
- Everyone to have access to affordable healthcare.
- Everyone to have a safe place to call home.
- To leave the world cleaner for the next generation.
- To rid the workplace of employment discrimination.
- Fair pay and equal opportunity for people of all races and creeds.
- Everyone to be treated equally under the law.
- To empower people from all walks of life to reach their full potential.
As President Kennedy once said "Our problems are man-made, therefore they may be solved by man. And man can be as big as he wants. No problem of human destiny is beyond human beings."
(John F. Kennedy, speech at The American University, Washington, D.C., June 10, 1963)
But it's not all serious.
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| Matt and Abe at Nats Ballpark |
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| Matt and George at Nats Ballpark |
I LOVE Baseball.
One of the great loves of my life is baseball. It always has been and it will be until the day I die. Going to the ballpark is one way I take the stress out of my life. As you can see, I enjoy my time at the ballpark tremendously. In fact, I told my wife that when I die she can just bury me in centerfield! |
| Matt with his wife Michelle at Nats Ballpark |
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| Matt with his mother-in-law Mary Kay at Nats Ballpark |
